It’s not often that you happen upon a person that you immediately know, deep inside, will be a cherished friend forever. This was how I felt more than seven years ago when I met today’s guest at a small seminar in Kent, Washington. She invited me to coffee and the rest is history. Lee Kaplanian is an odd and wonderful duck. She moved to Australia to get married. She’s been a life-long volunteer. She has worked as a Speaker’s Bureau Coordinator and a trainer of instructors for Conn Chapter of Arthritis Foundation. Lee and I bonded on many levels, even as we were from vastly different generations and backgrounds. One thing we share is that we took care of our mothers through progressive illness until the end. Even in her darkest hours, Lee maintained her sense of humor and love for life.

Lee’s signature on her emails reads, “I am a healthy, powerful, inspiring woman courageously living my vision now.” This is the best way to define my friend and mentor, Lee Kaplanian.

I met Lee while I was writing Nose-to-Nose Networking, and she had a great influence on its tone and direction. She was one of the first recipients of the printed copy.

Lee is the host of “Finding the Gifts” on Tuesday mornings 9:30 am Pacific time on 1150 KKNW AM radio (Seattle) and she has a blog “The Gift of RA” where she chronicles her struggles and joys.

During our show, Jim read this quote from the recently departed Landau. It certainly fits in the theme of today’s show.

Everything that has happened to me is of value to me. As painful as certain things are, and have been, and were, there’s a use for those things in my life and in my work.”